No Te Va Gustar: Por lo menos hoy

For their sixth studio album, Uruguayan nine-piece rock combo No Te Va Gustar almost got rid of all the horns and any native candombe/murga fusion. Instead, they hired the services of Argentina’s Juanchi Baleirón (from los Pericos, arguably the best Spanish-language reggae band ever) and opted for a simpler, more direct sound. The result is not nearly as powerful as their 2006 masterpiece Todo es tan inflamable, but when you have a singer and songwriter like Emiliano Brancciari it’s easy to understand why these guys routinely draw 60,000 in their home country and sell out Argentina’s top stadiums. Baleirón’s production is spotless, but it is Brancciari’s songs (from the mid-tempo rocker “Ángel con campera” to the reggae of “Volar”) that grow on you even if the album is far from a groundbreaker. In Spanish, No Te Va Gustar means “you’re not going to like it,” and many of you probably won’t. But anyone who still believes that writing simple songs with hooks and smart lyrics that blend romanticism with political commentary is the hardest thing to do well will find this band fascinating. A message to Club Río: these guys will be touring the U.S. in July. Bring them home. Key track: “Chau.” Look up the video on YouTube.